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Foreword

I am pleased to have been appointed by the DESNZ Secretary of State to chair the Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGRs) Independent Review, which will consider how GGRs can assist the UK in meeting our net zero targets out to 2050.

GGR technologies must play a significant role in supporting the UK to reach net zero 鈥� balancing residual emissions from hard-to-decarbonise sectors while providing new economic opportunities.

As set out in the Terms of Reference, the review will consider all GGRs, with a focus on engineered approaches, and I welcome information and evidence about all GGR technologies in this Call for Evidence. I am keen to receive input from a diverse range of stakeholders on a broad range of questions to help inform the review.

The review will produce a report including a set of recommendations, in line with the scope of the review, which will be submitted to the DESNZ Secretary of State in October.

Dr Alan Whitehead CBE

Why we are conducting a Call for Evidence

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) Secretary of State has commissioned an Independent Review of Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGRs), to consider how options for听GGRs, including large-scale power bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS), can assist the UK in meeting our net zero targets, out to 2050. See the published听Terms of Reference听for further information on the review.

As part of the review, the Chair, Dr Alan Whitehead CBE, will engage widely with a diverse range of stakeholders, including developers, offtakers, industry, and experts in different fields, including through a series of roundtables and direct meetings.听

This Call for Evidence forms part of that wide engagement and we are seeking views from the general public, developers and other organisations on the opportunities and challenges of GGRs, the potential scale of emissions savings, and the economic cost of deploying GGRs.听

The review will provide government with recommendations to consider and decide whether or not to accept. A form of government response to the review is likely. There will be no response to this Call for Evidence.

Call for Evidence details

Issued: 16 May 2025
Respond by: 20 June 2025

Enquiries to:

Email: [email protected]

Call for Evidence reference: Greenhouse Gas Removals Independent Review Call for Evidence

Audiences: We are seeking views from all stakeholders

Territorial extent: United Kingdom

How to respond

Respond online at: 听

or

Email to: [email protected]

When responding, please state whether you are responding as an individual or representing the views of an organisation.

Your response will be most useful if it is framed in direct response to the questions posed, though further comments and evidence are also welcome.

Confidentiality and data protection

Information you provide in response to this Call for Evidence, including personal information, may be disclosed in accordance with UK legislation (the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004).

If you want the information that you provide to be treated as confidential please tell us, but be aware that we cannot guarantee confidentiality in all circumstances. An automatic confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system will not be regarded by us as a confidentiality request.

We will process your personal data in accordance with all applicable data protection laws. See our privacy policy.

We may share relevant data within government. The鈥疓GR Review team may also contact you directly to clarify responses or for further engagement.

Quality assurance

If you have any complaints about the way this Call for Evidence has been conducted, please email: [email protected].

Call for Evidence Questions

About you

1. What is your name?

2. What is your email address?

3. What is your organisation (if applicable)?

4. Disclaimer on data sharing: We may publish a summary of all responses. Would you be happy for your response to be published in full? (Options: Yes; Yes, but without identifying information; No, I want my response to be treated as confidential).

Review of GGRs questions

5. What is the potential scale of GGRs in the UK?

This could include, but is not limited to: potential scale of removals by technology type or for projects you are involved with; what assumptions that is based on, for example access to land, storage infrastructure, feedstock availability or biomass prioritisation; timelines for delivery of removals; and how the scale of removals may increase over time. Any information on the factors affecting these trajectories is also welcome.

6. What are the co-benefits of GGRs?

This could include, but is not limited to: GGR co-products, non-carbon environmental benefits, and supporting the Government鈥檚 Growth and Clean Energy Superpower Missions. Any information on the size and determinants of these co-benefits is helpful, either at an economy-wide or project level.

7. What are the barriers to and enablers of GGR deployment in the UK?

This could include, but is not limited to: evidence or information about what makes the UK an attractive place, or not, in which to invest and deploy GGRs; the strengths and limitations of the current scientific evidence base of effectiveness and environmental impacts; policy and regulatory environment; availability and prioritisation of resources; costs and constraints of access to storage; and public perceptions. In each case we would like any evidence on the determinants and impacts.

8. What is the economic cost of deploying GGRs?

This could include, but is not limited to: information, project-level or sector-wide, on the per-tonne costs of GGR technologies in 2030, 2040 and 2050 in the UK or overseas; evidence on the reasons for differences in domestic and overseas deployment; factors affecting deployment costs; and how costs are expected to evolve over time.

9. What approaches are there for transitioning away from public investment and attracting private investment in GGRs?

This could include, but is not limited to: evidence on overall private demand for GGRs via the VCM or otherwise; information on stimulating VCM demand; and views on other approaches to reducing public finance burden such as mandates and trading schemes.

10. What are the roles and options for all GGRs, domestically and internationally, to balance the UK鈥檚 residual emissions?

This could include, but is not limited to: potential of international GGR deployment; opportunities and barriers from Article 6 framework; the role of nature-based GGRs such as afforestation, soil carbon enhancement and ecosystem restoration; the role of more novel technologies such as marine carbon dioxide removal; and alternative deployment strategies.

11. How can GGRs contribute to security of supply, with respect to the UK鈥檚 energy system?

This could include, but is not limited to: the relative prioritisation of biomass use; the energy consumption of GGR technologies; and the potential contribution of GGR technologies to security of supply in line with the different GGR deployment pathways.